PHOTOS: Crean Lutheran opens Empire League play with home victory over Tustin

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Crean Lutheran’s Kaiden Bailey drives the lane Tuesday as Tustin’s Johnny Sagarino defends. No. 21 is Carson Jue. (Photos courtesy Crean Lutheran Shutterbugs / John Luciano and Howard Lyon).

Crean Lutheran High School’s boys basketball team opened defense of the Empire League title with a 52-45 victory over Tustin Tuesday night at Crean Lutheran.

The Saints have captured the league title the past two seasons with a 10-0 record and have now won 22 league games in a row dating back to 2020.

To see the slide show, click on the first photo:

Kaiden Bailey scored 16 points and had three rebounds to lead Crean Lutheran. Patrick Miranda had nine points and Kenneth Bailey five points and seven rebounds for the Saints (12-5, 1-0).

Tustin (13-6, 0-1) put up a battle against Crean Lutheran, which held a seven point lead going into the fourth quarter. The Tillers were led by Eli Nyeazi, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Josh Birket, a Crean Lutheran transfer, who had nine points and 10 rebounds.

Tustin came out strong in the first quarter and led 14-7 going into the second quarter. But Crean Lutheran regrouped in the second quarter and moved out to a 25-16 lead at halftime.

Crean Lutheran hosts Pacifica while Tustin will be home against Valencia on Friday. Both games start at 6:15 p.m.